


Heroes

by Bobbie23



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Heroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 02:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30065475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bobbie23/pseuds/Bobbie23
Summary: “There is power within great sacrifice, within noble deeds. There are moments... brief, shining moments when the impossible becomes possible.” Kelly Keaton, A Beautiful Evil
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Comments: 5
Kudos: 56





	Heroes

AN – A massive thanks to my beta reader, Black Victor Cachat, who is a great friend that listens to my ramblings.

Disclaimer – I own nothing. Nothing.

Heroes

_“There is power within great sacrifice, within noble deeds. There are moments... brief, shining moments when the impossible becomes possible.” Kelly Keaton, A Beautiful Evil_

Jack unlocks his front door, and gets hit by a wave of stale air. He hasn’t been home in days.

Sam shuffles behind him, making some excuse about helping him get settled before heading home herself. The temporary doctor back at the SGC wouldn’t let him drive due to his injuries. He doubts Janet would’ve let him if she were here. But she’s not. She’s gone.

Jack turns on his heel, and whatever remark he was about to make dies on his lips as his gaze settles on his second in command. The slope of her shoulders, her stilted movements, and the glazed expression she tries to hide under a neutral one. She’s barely said a word since they left the mountain, focusing on the act of driving to keep her going. There’s so much going on in that head of hers, not just the job.

“Where’s Cassie?” Jack asks softly.

“With Janet’s mother,” Sam explains. “I’m going to pick her up after I leave here. She hasn’t…” Her voice catches, breaking as she thinks of their niece. “She hasn’t been in the house since…” She swallows, trying to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. Jack nods in understanding; he knows that feeling. “She needs a few things, but she can’t…she asked me to get them for her.”

Sam looks down at the keys in her grasp, her thumb runs over the key with a bright green dot on it, blinking as she tries to regain composure. It’s a lost battle as a soft sob escapes and her head shakes as the tears escape.

Jack’s heart clenches, unsure of what to do. That’s wrong, he knows what he should do, but what he wants to do, what his instincts are screaming at him, are completely different. After seven years, Jack’s used to this conflict when it comes to Sam. Usually, he goes against instincts, and stays true to his oath and orders. So, with little thought to self-preservation, he steps forward and opens his arms to envelope her in his embrace. She sags in relief, leaning into him without questioning. Her arms slide around his waist, pressing herself in close as she cries. Jack closes his eyes as he steadies his breathing, controlling his own emotions.

They lost more than the CMO; they lost a friend, a member of their family. Someone who stitched them up when they were battered and in pieces, who would make the right call when their judgement was impaired. Janet was tough and compassionate, respected and well-liked by all who had the privilege of knowing her, including Jack. He might have bitched about her needles or her orders to bench his team at times, but she was a good friend and ally he trusted to make calls when he was compromised. Doc, Janet, Frasier; she was Sam’s closest friend outside of the team. One who understood what it meant to be a woman in the military, someone she could confide in.

When this is done, they have to pull themselves together for Cassie, who needs them. Who is acutely aware she could lose any of them at any point. She’s been through this before when she lost her birth mother, as well as her whole planet.

“What’s going to happen with Cassie? Frasier have a plan in place?”

Sam shrugs, sniffling. “Cassie hasn’t mentioned it. Janet’s mother lives out of town.”

“She’ll always have a home here,” Jack assures her.

“Yeah,” Sam agrees with a weak, watery smile.

Jack knows Sam wanted to looks after Cassie when they first found her, but there was no way she could dedicate her time to child back then. There was no way the brass would’ve sacrificed Sam’s brain for her heart. Without Janet adopting her, the little girl would have been raised on base, and the brass wouldn’t have allowed a former Trojan Horse near the Gate.

That was then.

While Janet’s mother would take her in, Jack isn’t going to force the decision on Cassie. She’s an eighteen-year-old who knows where she wants to be. She’s a head-strong, independent young woman who’s in the last year of high school. She doesn’t need a babysitter. Jack doubts making her up-roots from the family and friends she has made will do any good for her. She needs stability, familiarity, to help her through this. He doubts Sam would be able to let her go. Call him selfish, he doesn’t want to pack her off to someone he doesn’t really know either. He’d push that aside and support Cassie if she decides she needs a fresh start. He’ll support Sam if she steps up for Cassie.

“I miss Janet,” Sam’s voice catches in her throat as her shoulders hitch with her tears.

“Me too.” Jack rubs her back gently in a vain attempt to soothe her. He can’t bring himself to murmur _it’ll be okay_ in her ear. He doesn’t want to be made a liar by their assignment. They’re weary; the war with the Goa’uld has been going on for so long and they’ve lost so many, and are fully aware they could have lost more if it hadn’t been for the woman who died.

If _his_ vest insert failed like Janet’s had, someone else would be comforting her. Daniel. Teal’c. Maybe the cop she’s been seeing.

Jack doesn’t know how long they stand in his foyer; he doesn’t care. He isn’t going to let her go until she tells him to. He can’t deny her, or himself, this comfort. It feels like a long time before she starts to relax, and they’re just holding each other. She shifts in his arms, moving closer till she’s fully pressed against the length of him. Instead of pulling away, he tightens his hold, breathing her in.

“I could’ve lost you too,” she whispers, her voice cracking. Her forehead rests on his shoulder as she sighs softly, studiously refusing to look at him. His heart clenches at her words and how open her grief is making her. She wouldn’t be saying this if he hadn’t caught the wrong end of a staff blast.

“When we came back through the ‘Gate, I was so worried because Janet wasn’t there to treat you,” Sam continues when he says nothing. “I shouldn’t have…both of you were on gurneys and…I don’t think I could lose both of you.”

Jack tightens his grip on her, tucking her against him and cradling the back of her head in his hand. His lips touch the top of her head, and purse lightly. She exhales into the crook of his neck, making him shiver slightly. “I can’t imagine it feeling worse than this, even though I know it would.”

“I’m right here,” he reminds her. It’s all he can say.

Because he is here, and she’s really glad he’s okay.

“Are you?”

Jack closes his eyes and musters the energy to toe the professional line even though everything in him is screaming at him to comfort her the way he wants to. He rests his head on hers briefly before withdrawing, except she tightens her hold on him. “Carter…”

“Don’t,” she pleads, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. “Not today, Jack,” she whispers.

He stares back at her, and gives in. “Not today,” he agrees.

They don’t have to do anything beyond just being there for one another. They need one another.

Yesterday, they could’ve lost one another. Tomorrow, they could lose one another. Today, they’re right here, together.


End file.
